Filing device



ept. 8, 1925.

6. B. ULRICH FILTNG DEVICE Fila Jam '31, 2

INVENTOR.

61% 125 E5 5. shi e/5, g

i /1 M l IEiidi Patented Sept. 8, 1925.

UNITED STATES CHARLES B. ULRICH, OF JAMESTOWN, NEW YORK.

FILING DEVICE.

Application filed January 31, 1921/ Serial No. 441,234.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES B. ULRICH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jamestown, in the county of Chautauqua and in the State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Filing Devices, of which the following is a specitication.

My invention pertains to an improved construction of filing devices intended particularly for filing and preserving sets of papers and drawings of various sizes, protecting them from dust, dirt and damage, and permitting ready reference to any file and any paper or drawing contained in the file.

In many cases architects and contractors have complete sets of drawings and specifications pertaining to difierent pieces of work, each set of which must for convenience be kept together and yet ready for immediate examination. In some instances, some of these drawings are of large size, for example 12 inches by 72 inches, and these drawings must preferably be kept flat to permit ready inspection, and furthermore, they should be protected in some manner from dust and dirt and also from atmospheric changes and consequent deterioration. My present invention while applicable to a wide variety of uses, is particularly adapted to meet the needs set forth, whether the complete set consists of specifications and drawings of large or various sizes or of two separate groups of drawings, for example a first group of large lay-out drawings and a second group of relatively small detail drawings.

To secure the results contemplated, my invention consists essentially of a flat container of suitable material, such as heavy paper, press board, or the like, equipped with devices for hanging it in a vertical plane, and adapted to be opened to permit examination of the contained papers without removing them from the container and also completely enclosing them to protect them from dirt, dust and atmospheric changes when the container is closed, in which condition the container forms a single unit to be kept in or on suitable supporting devices in any desired classification or arrangement with others of said units to constitute the complete file. My invention provides first devices for securing a first group of papers, drawings, etc., of any desired size up to substantially the size of the container, to said container and second dev1ces for securing a second group of papers, drawlngs, etc., of smaller size than the container, to said container at a different place from that at which the first group is secured, said second devices being preferably so made and disposed as to securely hold the papers of the second group within the outline of the closed container in fiat relation and permitting said papers to'be moved outside of said outline when the container is open, without releasing said papers from said second devices, thus permitting the ready examination of any paper or drawing of either group without disturbing in any way the papers or drawings of the other group.

My invention will best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings showing a preferred embodiment thereof, in which- Fig. 1 shows one of my improved containers in fully opened condition,

Fig. 2 shows in a view similar to Fig. 1, the container in closed condition,

F 3 is a fragmentary View similar to Fig. 1, showing one group of papers and their securing devices closed against the body portion of the container.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, my improved container consists of a body portion 10, of suitable material, such as heavy paper, press-board or the like, having a top flap 11, a bottom flap 12 and side flaps 13, 13. Immediately below the fold line of the flap 11, a stiff bar of metal, wood or similar material 1 1, is secured to the body portion 10, by cement, nails, rivets or in any convenient manner, and to the strip 14, two hooks 15 are secured so that they project upwardly from said strip andthrough the body portion 10 at or adjacent the fold line of the flap 11. I prefer to place a stiffening member 16 of fibre, press-board or any suitable material across the upper end of the body portion 10 between it and the strip 14. Each of the flaps 11 and 12 is preferably of a length greater than half the length of the body portion 10 and each of the flaps 13, 13 is preferably of a width greater than half the width of the body portion 10, to wholly enclose and protect the papers and drawings in the container, when the flaps are closed as shown in Fig. 2.

A first group of papers or drawings 17 of any size equal to or smaller than the body portion 10, and in any desired arrangement, is secured to the body portion by fasteners 18, 18 of any type adapted to bind the parts together with semi-permanency and without projecting parts inside of the papers or outside of the container. A third fastener 19 of similar kind is preferably employed to hold the papers 17 together separate from the container after the completion of the group, to facilitate binding them in the container.

A second group of papers or drawings 20, preferably smaller than the body portion 10, is secured to said container as follows: a carrier 21 of press-board, heavy paper or suitable material is provided, having an edge flap 22 and an end flap 23. The flap 22 is secured to the body portion 10 adjacent the fold line of the flap 12 so that the carrier 21 may be folded wholly Within the outline of the body portion 10 in its closed position as shown in Fig. 3, or extended beyond said outline as shown in Fig. 1. The papers 20 are secured to the carrier 21 by folding the flap 23 over their ends or edges and passing a fastener 24, preferably of the kind described above, through the fiap, the papers and the carrier. Thus in closed condition of the carrier, the papers 20 are held in fiat condition between the carrier 21 and the body portion 10 under the papers 17.

In closing the container, the papers 17 are first lifted at their lower ends, and if not already extended, the flaps 13, 13 are moved to the position shown in Fig. 1; then the carrier 21 and its attached papers are moved from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 3 and the papers 17 are permitted to rest on the back of the carrier; then the flaps 13, 13, 12 and 11 are folded over the papers 17 in the order named; then the flaps 11 and 12 are secured together by devices consisting of a disk 25 of fibre or suitable material and string 26 secured to the flap 11 and a similar disk 27 secured to the fiap 12 as shown in Fig. 2; said disks are preferably held in place by rivets as indicated, extending through reinforcing pieces 28 and 29 of fibre or suitable material secured to the inner surfaces of the flaps 11 and 12. If desired the edges of the flaps may be reinforced by suitable binding material 10 such as cloth or paper tape secured in place by adhesive material.

In opening the container, particularly where it is of large size, the following procedure is desirable: After placing the container on a desk or table, the flap 11 is first released and folded around the hooks 15 and under the container; then the flap 12 is folded under the flap 11 under the container; then the flaps 13,13 are opened, and the carrier and its papers are moved to the position shown in Fig. 1; then the fiaps 13,

13 are folded under the papers 17 against the body portion 10, and the container will occupy substantially no more space than the contained papers and the latter may be examined as above described. A card holder for indexing as desired is indicated at 10 on the outside of the right hand flap 13.

From the above it will appear that the papers 17 occupy a position below and in the plane of the bar 1 1 and that therefore the space taken up by said bar is not lost. By placing the card holders as described, edge indexing is facilitated, which is an advantage in connection with the supporting devices described below for holding the containers in classified arrangement.

The fiaps 11, 12, 13, 13 may have reinforcing strips 11 12 13 13 of press board or other suitable material secured to them adjacent the body portion 10 with fold lines adjacent the edges of said strips, to produce a box edge elfect when the contents of the container are of considerable thickness.

Where, in the claims, I refer to papers as secured to the containers, or to be secured thereto, I include within the meaning of that term drawings, tracings, blue prints and any similar things susceptible of being handled as above described.

While I have shown my invention in the particular embodiment above described, it will be understood that I do not limit myself to this exact construction as I may employ equivalents known to the art at the time of the filing of this application without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a body portion of flat sheet material, first devices for securing a group of papers to said body portion, second devices secur-edto the upper end of said body portion to suspend it and the attached papers in a vertical plane, and flaps of thin sheet material secured to the edges of said body portion to enclose said papers.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a body portion of fiat sheet material, first devices for securing a group of papers to said body portion, second devices secured to the upper end of said body portion to suspend it and the attached papers in a vertical plane, flaps of thin sheet material secured to the edges of said body portion to enclose said papers, and fastening devices for holding said flaps in enclosing position.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a body portion of flat sheet material, first devices for securing a group of papers to said body portion, second de vices secured to the upper end of said body portion to suspend it and the attached papers in a vertical plane, flaps of thin sheet material secured to the edges of said body portion to enclose said papers, and indexing means carried by the filing device.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of a body portion of flat sheet material, first devices for securing a group of papers to said body portion, second devices secured to the upper end of said body portion to .suspend it and the attached papers in a vertical plane, flaps of thin sheet material secured to the edges of said body portion to enclose said papers, fastening devices for holding said flaps in enclosing position, and a card holder carried on the outer surface of'one of said flaps to facilitate indexing said filing device.

5. In a container of the class cescribed, the combination of a body portion of flat sheet material, supporting devices for papers in said container near its upper end, second devices secured to the upper end of said body portion to suspend it in a vertical plane, flaps of thin sheet material secured to the edges of said body portion to close said container, said flaps each having a plurality of fold lines to produce a box edge efiect when said flaps are folded.

6. In a container of the class described, the combination of a body portion of fiat sheet material, supporting devices for papers in said container near its upper end, second devices secured to the upper end of said body portion to suspend it in a vertical plane, flaps of thin sheet material secured to the edges of said body portion to close said container, said flaps each having a plurality of fold lines to produce a box edge effect when said flaps are folded, and reinforcing strips secured to said flaps adjacent said fold lines tending to hold the reinforced portions of said flaps perpendicular to said body portion when said flaps are folded to close said container.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination of a body portion of flat sheet material, first devices for securing a group of papers to said body portion, a bar secured across the upper end of said body portion, second devices secured to said bar to suspend said body portion and the attached papers in a vertical plane, said first devices comprising paper fasteners clamping said papers-to said body port-ion. and a strip of thin sheet material secured, to said body portion across its upper end to reiniorce the connection thereto of said bar and paper fasteners.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination of a body portion of flat sheet material, first devices for securing a group of papers to said body portion, second devices secured to the upper end of said body portion to suspend it and the attached papers in a vertical plane, flaps of thin sheet material secured to the edges of said body portion to enclose said papers, and fastening devices for holding said flaps in enclosing position, said second devices comprising a bar secured across the upper end of said body portion and suspending hooks projecting upwardly from said bar.

9. In a device of the class described, the combination of a body portion of flat sheet material, first devices for securing a group of papers to said body portion, second devices secured to the upper end of said body portion to suspend it and the attached papers in a vertical plane, flaps of thin sheet material secured to the edges of said body portion to enclose said papers, and fastening de vices for holding said flaps in enclosing position, said second devices comprising a bar secured across the upper end of said body portion and suspending hooks projecting upwa-rdly from said bar, and said first devices comprising fasteners binding said papers and body portion together at their upper ends.

10. In a device of the class described, the combination of a body portion of flat sheet material, first devices for securing a group of papers to said body portion, second devices secured to the upper end of said body portion to suspend it and the attached papers in a vertical plane, flaps of thin sheet material secured to the edges of said body portion to enclose said papers, and fastening devices for holding said flaps in enclosing position, said second devices comprising a bar secured across the upper end of said body portion and suspending hooks projecting upwardly from said bar, and said first devices comprising fasteners binding said papers and body portion together at their upper ends, said flaps each having a plurality of fold lines to produce a box edge effect when said flaps are folded.

11. In a device of the class described, the combination of a body portion of flat sheet material, first devices for securing a group of papers to said body portion, second de vices secured to the upper end of said body portion to suspend it and the attached papers in a vertical plane, flaps of thin sheet material secured to the edges of said body portion to enclose said papers, and fastening devices for holding said flaps in enclosing position, said second devices comprising a bar secured across the upper end of said body portion and suspending hooks projecting upwardly from said bar, said first devices comprising fasteners binding said papers and body portion together at their upper ends, said flaps each having a plurality of fold lines to produce a box edge effect when said flaps are folded, and reinforcing strips secured to said flaps adjacent. said fold lines to hold the reinforced portions of said flaps perpendicular to said body portion when said flaps are folded to enclose said papers.

12. In a device of the class described, the combination of a body portion of flat sheet material, first devices for securing a group of papers to said body portion, second devices secured to the upper end of said body portion to suspend it and the attached papers in a vertical plane, and a carrier for holding a second group of papers and secured to said body portion to lie within its outlne when closed and outside of said outline when opened to permit inspection of any paper of either group without disturbing the papers of the other group.

13. In a device of the class described, the combination of a body portion of fiat sheet material, first devices for securing a group of papers to said body portion, second devices secured to the upper end of said body portion to suspend it and the attached papers in a vertical plane, and a carrier for holding a second group of papers and secured to said body portion to lie within its outline when closed and outside of said outline when opened to permit inspection of any paper of either group without disturbing the papers of the other group, said carrier being of thin sheet material having a first edge flap for securing said car-rier to said body portion and a second edge flap for holding papers between said second flap and said carrier, whereby when said carrier is closed its papers are between said body portion and said carrier.

14. In a device of the class described, the combination of a body portion of fiat sheet material, first devices for securing a group of papers to said body portion, second devices secured to the upper end of said body portion to suspend it and the attached papers in a vertical plane, flaps of thin sheet material secured to the edges of said body portion to enclose said papers, and a carrier for holding a second group of papers and secured to said body portion to lie within its outline when closed and outside of said outline when opened to permit inspection of any paper of either group without disturbing the papers of the other group.

15. In a device of the class described, the combination of a body portion of flat sheet material, first devices for securing a group of papers to said body portion, second devices secured to the upper end of said body portion to suspend it and the attached papers in a vertical plane, flaps of thin sheet material secured to the edges of said body portion to enclose said papers, fastening devices for holding said flaps in enclosing position, and a carrier for holding a second group of papers and secured to said body portion to lie within its outline when closed and outside of said outline when opened to permit inspection of any paper of either group without disturbing the papers of the other group, said carrier being of thin sheet material having a first edge flap for securing said carrier to said body portion and a second edge flap for holding papers between said second flap and said carrier, whereby when said carrier is closed its papers are between said body portion and said carrier.

16. In a device of the class described, the combination of a body portion of flatsheet material, first devices for securing a group of papers tosaid body portion, second de-' vices secured to the upper end of said body portion to suspend it and the attached papers in a, vertical plane, flaps of thin sheet material secured to the edges of said body portion to enclose said papers, fastening devices for holding said flaps in enclosing position, said second devices comprising a bar secured across the upper end of said body portion and suspending hooks projecting upwardly from said bar, and a carrier for holding a second group of papers and secured to said body portion to lie within its outline when closed and outside of said outline when opened to permit inspection of any paper of either group without disturbing the papers of the other group.

175111 a device of the class described, the combination of a body portion of fiat sheet material, first devices for securing a' group of papers to said body portion, second devices secured to the upper end of said body portion to suspend it and the attached papers in a vertical plane, flaps of thin sheet material secured to the edges of said body portion to enclose said papers, fastening devices for holding said flaps in enclosing position, said second deviceseomprising a bar secured across the upper end of said body portion and suspending hooks projecting upwardly from said bar, and a carrier for holding a second group of papers and secured to said body portion to lie within its outline when closed and outside of said outline when opened to permit inspection of any paper of either group without disturbing the papers of the other group, said carrier being of thin sheet material having a first edge flap for securing said carrier to said body portion and a second edge flap for holding papers between said second flap and said carrier, whereby when said carrier is closed its papers are between said body portion and said carrier.-

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 26th day of January, A. D. 192l.

CHARLES B. ULRICH. 1 

